Scheduled MonumentsScotlandBroomholm, Roman fort
Iron Age · Roman fort

Broomholm, Roman fort

Scotland
HES SM2524
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Roman fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Broomholm is a Roman fort situated in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, positioned on bedrock of the Inverclyde Group. This geological formation, dating from the Osagean period, comprises alternating layers of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone that would have provided a stable foundation for the fort's construction. The fort occupies a strategically significant location within the landscape of Roman Scotland, with the underlying solid geology offering good drainage properties essential for a military installation of this period.

The fort represents Roman military infrastructure from the period of occupation in northern Britain. Its construction utilised the local geological conditions to establish secure defences and structures typical of forts built during Rome's campaigns in Scotland. The bedrock composition would have influenced both the fort's layout and the construction techniques employed by Roman engineers working in this region.

Today, Broomholm Roman fort is recognised as an important archaeological monument and is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2524. The site preserves evidence of Roman military presence in Dumfriesshire and contributes to our understanding of the extent and organisation of Rome's frontier installations in Scotland during the imperial period.

Broomholm, Roman fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2524. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Broomholm, Roman fort?

Broomholm is a Roman fort situated in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, positioned on bedrock of the Inverclyde Group. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2524.

What period does Broomholm, Roman fort date from?

Broomholm, Roman fort dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a roman fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Broomholm, Roman fort?

Broomholm, Roman fort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2524.

What other scheduled monuments are near Broomholm, Roman fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Broomholm,farmstead 400m E of (0.5 km), Old Irvine,settlement 600m NNW of (1.4 km), Broomholmshiels,farmstead 1000m E of (1.4 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Broomholm, Roman fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Broomholm, Roman fort's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Broomholm, Roman fort

Broomholm, Roman fort stands on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.